Electrical conductor



y 1941- E. s. TAYLERSON 2,242,273

ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR Filed April 28, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1.

y 20, 1941- E. s. TAYLERSON 2,242,273

ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR Filed April 28, 1959 2 'Shets-Sheet 2 zfhmer 6'.72%4 5350 Patented 20, I

s PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR Ewart s. Taylerson, Pittsburgh,Pa., asslgnor to Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation, a corporatlon ofNew Jersey v v Application April as, 1939, Serial No. 270,706

' 4 ohms. (Cl. 173424) This invention relates to electrical conductors,and more particularly to electrical conductors which are flexibly orotherwise resiliently mounted so as to insure an unbroken continuouselectrical contact with a rotary member.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical conductorwhich will at all times uniformly contact the ends of a rotary member,such as a. conductor roll.

Another object is the provision of a plurality of electrical conductorbrushes, each of which is capable of following any lateral motion .of'the rotary members.

A still further object of the present invention resides in pivotallymounting the brushes upon a supporting plate so as to compensate forunequal wear of the brush contact points.

A further object resides in providing a uniform pressure on each brushin each group, so that they will uniformly contact the rotary member atall times.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the des ptionproceeds and reference is had to the acco panying drawings. in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section I of the presentinvention;

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation on line 11-11 of Figurel; I

Figure 3 is a detailed section of one of the brush assemblies:

Figure 4 is an enlarged detailed showing of one of the brushes; and

Figure 5 is a detailed section of a modifled form of the adjusting meansfor the brush.

In the drawings, there is shown a supportingmember 2 having securedthereto, in any conventional manner, bearing brackets I. Each of thesebrackets carries bearings I of conventional design for supporting ashaft I, upon which is mounted a conductor roll I. Secured to each endof said conductor roll I is a metal plate, hereinafter termed acollector plate I. Bearing against said collector plate I are severalgroups- :rf contactors, hereinafter termed brush assem blies I. Eachbrush assembly I includes a brush holder member I, provided with twodivergent faces II and a central opening I! formed therein. Attached toeach of the divergent faces II are contact members II, each of whichcomprises several thin metallic strips II. The metal or alloy chosen forthe purpose should possess low electrical resistivity and highresiliency. As anexample of such an alloy, phosphor bronae may beused.lnordertoprovidemaximumresiliency and flexibility to the brush assemblyI, the

thin metallic strips l5 have interposed between them, at their point ofattachment to the brush holder member 9, short metallic separators".Such a laminar construction also provides an air space between the freeendsof each of the thin metal strips l5. Such air spaces are desirableto prevent heating of the contact members when metal brush, the actionof which can be likened to an elliptical spring, 1. e. any force whichtends to flatten the arch if a spring is resisted by a. reaction forceset up within the material forming the "leaves of the spring.

Positioned between the bearing 4 and each collector plate I, is a metalplate ll, which serves to support the brush assemblies 8. The plate i1is provided with a plurality of cut-out portlons II within which iscentrally disposed a pin II. The brush assemblies I are mounted on saidpin II and are secured thereon in any convenient manner, for example bythe check plate II. The means used for securing the assemblles I to thepin it should, however, be such that the assemblies I are free to swingon pins II through a small arc. This is necessary to permitany-,assembly I to automatically adjust .its position to compensate forany unequal wear of'its contact members It, and thereby maintain equalcontact between both of said con-.'

tact members and the collector plate I at all times.

Fixediy secured to the brush holder member s is a flexible lead 2i,capable of conducting the electric current between the brush assembliesI and the plate II. The flexibility of, the lead 2| is necessary topermit the free movement of the assemblies I, hereinabove described.-

Secured to each plate II, in any conventional manner, are two terminals22, which are connected to main feeding bus-bars- II, through suitableflexible leadwires II. The plate" is also provided with a centralopening 2i, through 'whichtheshaftloftheoonductorrolllpasses.

The diameter of the opening is such-that there is a clearance between itand the shaft 5 so as to prevent contact of said shaft and plate l1.

7 On those surfaces of the plate I! which face the bearings 4 aresockets 28, which receive rods 28, the blunt ends of which bear againstthe bottoms of the sockets. The threaded ends of the rods 28, passthrough clearance holes 29, formed in the bearing bracket 3.- The rods28 are provided with nuts 30, which bear against that surface of thebracket 3 facing the plate l1. By such a construction, the brushassemblies 8 are firmly pressed against the collector plate I and thepressure can be regulated by adjusting the nuts 30 on the rods 28. This,combined with the resilient construction of the brush assemblies,produces a spring loaded metallic conductor capable of transferringelectric current between a stationary and a rotating conductor. Such aconductor is capable of following any lateral movement of the rotatingmember such as mightresult from the misalignment of the collector plateor from deflection of the conductor roll under mechanical load. It isalso capable of taking care of any wear of the brush members, whethersuch wear is uniform or non-uniform. This action insures at all times aconstant and uniform contact of all the brush members with the collectorplate of the rotating conductor.

As an alternate method of obtaining the above stated results, the plateI1 may itself be resiliently mounted in which case stiffer brushes maybe used if desired. This is accomplished by substituting stud bolts 3|for the rods 28. Such stud bolts are rigidly secured to the plate I1,their free ends pass through the clearance holes 29, and they areprovided with springs 32, which are positioned between the plate I! andthe bracket 3 and around each of said stud bolts. In this manner theplate I] is spring loaded-and presses the brushes mounted thereonagainst the collector plate I of the conductor roll. This constructionalso insures constant and uniform con-' tact of all the brushes with thecollector at all times.

While I have shown and described specific embodiments of the presentinvention, it will be seen that I do not wish to be limited exactlythereto,

plate since various modifications may be made without departing from thescope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. An electrical conductor comprising a resiliently mounted plate, aplurality of brush holders pivotally mounted thereon, and a laminatedbrush carried by each of said brush holders and providing portionsextending divergently therefrom, the outer ends of the laminae of saidbrushes terminating in a plane which is subtantially parallel to that ofthe said resiliently mounted plate.

2. An electrical conductor comprising a resiliently mounted plate, aplurality of brush holders pivotally mounted thereon, and a lamimountedplate, the pivotal axes of said brush holders extending in substantiallythe same general direction as the surface of said resiliently mountedplate from which the brushes extend.

3. An electrical conductor comprising a support, and a resilientV-shaped laminated brush pivotally mounted on said support, the outerends of the laminae of the divergently extending portions of saidresilient V-shaped laminated brush terminating in a common plane, thepivotal axis of said brush extending substantially parallel to saidplane and at substantially right-anglesto a plane common to thedivergently extending portions thereof.

4. An electrical conductor comprising a resilient support, and aresilient V-shaped laminated brush pivotally mounted on said support,the outer ends of the laminae of the divergently extending portions ofsaid resilient V-shaped laminated brush terminating in a common plane,the pivotal axis of said brush extending substantially parallel to saidplane and at substantial right-angles to a plane common to thedivergently extending portions thereof;

EWART S. TAYLERSQN.

